A costly lapse which calls for
probing
Just when the public began to
believe that the Meteorological Department was predicting
fluctuations in the weather with remarkable accuracy, we are
being given to understand that it faltered very badly last
Friday, when the turbulence which enveloped parts of the
county's Southern coast went unforeseen. We do not intend to
take on the role of accuser in this matter which has cost the
country very dearly in terms of scores of lost human lives, but
call on the authorities to probe the reasons for the seeming
lapse and to ascertain who was responsible for the serious
omission, with a view to subjecting them to a process of
accountability.
The environmental disasters occurring around the world with
unsettling rapidity should impress on one and all that the
stability of natural conditions could no longer be taken for
granted. These disasters have reached cataclysmic proportions
and no country or nationality could be considered as absolutely
safe from these mega furies of nature, which, today, could be
categorized along with conflict and war and the need for the
equitable distribution of 'bread', as among the primary concerns
of humanity.
One would have thought this country would be on the alert
constantly for the horrors of nature after the monumental
tragedy which was the tsunami of 2004. One would have thought
the agencies concerned would never have let down their guard.
The turbulence of November 25th has proved us wrong. Apparently,
major vagaries of the weather could still take us by storm and
to the considerable detriment of the country too.
While the minister concerned has promised the country an
investigation into this latest lapse in predicting weather
crises, we would like to take the position that everyone
responsible for the negligence in question, if established
beyond doubt, should be held to account. The current spell of
bad weather was some time in coming and one cannot claim that it
came like the proverbial bolt from the blue. The public expects
the authorities concerned to keep an eagle eye on local weather
patterns 24 hours of the day and if this was done the
devastation could have been mitigated to a degree. But this was
not to be and it is possible that a person or persons in
positions of responsibility were 'napping.'
Unfortunately, despite the sense of urgency with which the
state is going about the business of developing this country,
some sections are stuck in the bad old habit of 'napping' or
going through life at a leisurely, untroubled pace. While, the
state is bent on taking Sri Lanka into the 21st century and all
that the phrase connotes, there are some who are sunk in a mire
of slothfulness and smug complacency in the belief that all will
be well in this country without their having to take any pains.
As we mentioned earlier, we are not seeing ourselves as
accusers. The truth will need to be unraveled systematically and
we are quite aware that simple answers would not be forthcoming
to our questions because some of our state agencies are complex
organizations. Nevertheless, we believe that besides conducting
a thoroughgoing probe, the state should galvanize the entirety
of the state machinery into action in these times of accelerated
development.
It need hardly be said that the Meteorology Department and
connected institutions would be playing an increasingly
prominent and vital role in the development process of this
country.
This is on account of the fact that the natural environment
and development are closely intertwined. After all, we must have
sustainable development and it's the organizations linked with
the natural environment who could advise the country on whether
it is having sustainable development or otherwise. Besides,
day-to-day development work cannot be carried out in the absence
of fool-proof systems which monitor the weather patterns of the
country.
Thus, the totality of the state sector must be alerted to the
need to back the state fully and dynamically in the onward
development march of this country. Those lagging behind in this
race would need to be asked to live up to the country's
expectations or be taken to task. |